I’ve just returned from a long weekend in London, where I was brought back to my fashion roots — and I remembered what it’s like to dress with a little bit of creativity. This dress, the Grunge Bohemian by Free People, is just the kind of thing that I’d find someone wearing on the tube. Hopefully, though, they’d be wearing better shoes. These remind me of the pilgrims a little, which is good for Thanksgiving but not much else…

 

 

Although I have absolutely nowhere to wear this dress, I must have it. This soft grey looks good on practically everyone, and paired with that juicy pink, there’s no way a girl could get the blues while wearing it.

I think this dress would be incredibly sweet with this pair of metallic flats by BCBG. At $200 they’re a little pricey, but I’m crossing my fingers that they’ll go on sale by the time I figure out where I’m going to wear this outfit…

 

The idea of mixing luxurious fabrics like velvet and cashmere makes me feel so cozy and festive and happy that it’s getting cooler out. This season, there’s a ton of lovely velvet out there, done in understated, contemporary cuts. One of my favorites is this short shift from Free People.

 

Although, I must say that I sort of hate those shoes; it makes the shortness of the dress almost too short. Let’s imagine that she’s wearing these, instead:

 

 

 

As for the combination of luxurious things, I would layer the dress with this gorgeous cashmere faux wrap sweater from Rebecca Taylor. I adore the soft creme color against the almost faded violet of the Free People dress.

The whole outfit is soft, romantic, and exactly right for a perfect fall afternoon walk.

 

Leave it to Free People to create the sweetest, most covetable dress of all: the Lace Canopy Dress. It comes in three different colors, but I like this lavender the best (yes, it’s a thing with me). For those days when it’s gloomy outside and you need a bright little pick-me-up, you could slip this on, put on some bright lip gloss, and drink a big mug of hot cocoa to feel instantly better.

If I had all the money in the world, I’d wear it with the Wool Herringbone Bella Jacket by J. Crew. The green velvet version is also good, but probably a bit much when paired with this shade of purple.

Ooooooh, and let’s not forget the boots…it is, after all, going to be fall one of these days.
(Frye Bonnie Riding Boot, $358)

There’s something about the homey, handmade quality of everything Free People produces that draws me to the label. While I like to glam it up occasionally, I prefer to wear comfortable pieces that allow me to express the way I’m feeling at any given moment. In the dresses that Free People has introduced this season, you can easily transition between sweet, sexy, and sophisticated depending on how you choose to dress up (or dress down!) each.

Here are three Free People frocks for fall that I covet with every ounce of my dress-loving being:

Flutter Dress
I think that what I liked most about ballet as a little girl was wearing my pink, low-backed leotard, black, fluttery wraparound skirt, grey legwarmers, and little pink ballet slippers. The cut, draping, and femininity of this dress reminds me of those afternoons of ballet class, where everything from the music to the movement to the clothing was girly and just plain pretty.

Hoedown Wrap Dress
For those of us who are of the opinion that a girl can never have too many wrap dresses, this one is a particular must-have. Not only is the style totally complimentary to every body shape, but the fabric is so soft that it almost feels like you’re not wearing anything more than your bathrobe…except that you can leave the house in this.

Pretty Penny Dress
Pretty, pretty, pretty. That’s all I can really say about this dress. Although I find it a little annoying that the top bit is sheer, requiring one to buy the adorable, long sleeved butterfly shirt underneath, I can’t deny that the sheerness adds to its charm. This is one of those dresses that I’ve fallen so hard for that I will wear it day after day until I get tired of coming up with excuses for not wearing something different.